Future Leaders of Nowhere by Emily O’Beirne

Her admiration for Willa shines through, and their friendship keeps Finn grounded. Watching her burden the responsibility for her slack group is both fascinating and difficult. Finn is constantly described as, or told she is, kind, a person who always stands up for her beliefs, but in the first part of the book, she loses confidence in herself, and second guesses her decisions. Both girls have extraordinary talents-both clever academically, street smart (in their own ways), and filled to the brim with innate goodness. Initially Willa acts, and it’s up to Finn to take the second step once Willa makes her feelings and intentions clear. Willa and Finn’s attraction is handled with ease and care.

Of course, it also has something to say about how much pressure there is on teenagers to strive, to excel, and to put themselves above others to succeed. It’s a glorious celebration of being young, and treading that fine line between following the rules and being compliant, knowing experiences like these will help for the future, and wanting to break out, live in the moment which may result in reckless behaviour, say like, oh, falling in love. While the majority of the plot focuses on a game in which each group becomes a country directed to keep their people alive and their nation thriving, of course, we have additional scenes of abseiling ridiculous cliff faces, competitive orienteering and who are we kidding, everything is a competition, as well as personal relationships, pranks, and secret parties and gossip. There are several other groups who, while often relegated to the background, still play their part to showcase diverse and eclectic teenagers.

The first half of the book is seen through the eyes of Finn, the intermediary captain of her public school, leading the laziest and slackest group of smart kids ever, and the second part by Willa, a scholarship student at an elite private girls’ college, where the aim main is to win. I’m pretty sure we have all experienced a camp like that. In Future Leaders of Nowhere, a collection of over-achieving high school seniors are selected to spend four weeks in a rural camp, playing leadership games and participating in outdoor activities. Her characters are well developed, and the situations, setting, and plots are interesting and fresh. This is my second Emily O’Beirne book, and I wish more people would discover her. Future Leaders of Nowhere by Emily O’Beirne Published by: Ylva Publishing